Operating mode switch for different type of tapes

ABSTRACT

A tape machine for the playback of different types of magnetic tapes which are arranged in cassettes and the operation of which requires a switching of the tape machine corresponding to their nature, which switching is effected by means of an opening which is, or is not, present in a given wall of the cassette, which comprises an operating-mode switch, a setting member for actuating the operating-mode switch, a spring for moving the setting member in one direction of displacement, and an actuating device for actuating the setting member in opposition to the spring, and actuated by the movement involved in a placing of a tape cassette on the machine. A lock holds the setting member fast when it is displaced in opposition to the spring, and a spring-loaded feeler member senses an opening in a cassette wall which determines the mode of operation and which is so coupled with the lock that it eliminates the action of the latter upon penetration into the opening in the cassette wall. An operating member can be brought manually into two positions associated with the modes of operation and is coupled with the lock and the setting member in such a manner that in one position it eliminates the action of the lock, and upon being brought into the other position displaces the setting member in opposition to the spring acting on it. The operating member is interlocked in an end position of displacement by the lock when there is no opening in the cassette wall, the operating member being returned by the setting member when the interlocking thereof is eliminated by removal of the cassette.

United States Patent 1 Broghammer OPERATING MODE SWITCH FOR DIFFERENTTYPE OF TAPES [75] Inventor: Werner Broghammer,

Tennenbronn, Germany [73] Assignee: Dual Gebruder Steidinger, St.

Georgen, Black Forest, Germany 221 Filed: Feb.ll,l974

211 App]. No.1 44mm [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. l2, l973Germany 2312178 [52] US. Cl 360/69; 360/66 [5]] Int. Cl. .4 Gllb [5/18[58] Field of Search 360/25, 66, 69

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,601,558 S/l97] Sugaya360/25 Primary Examiner.lames W. Moffitt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-EmestG. Montague; Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT A tape machinefor the playback of different types of magnetic tapes which are arrangedin cassettes and the operation of which requires a switching of the tape[451 Aug. 19, 1975 machine corresponding to their nature, whichswitching is effected by means of an opening which is, or is not,present in a given wall of the cassette, which comprises anoperating-mode switch, a setting member for actuating the operating-modeswitch, a Spring for moving the setting member in one direction ofdisplacement, and an actuating device for actuating the setting memberin opposition to the spring, and actuated by the movement involved in aplacing of a tape cassette on the machine. A lock holds the settingmember fast when it is displaced in opposition to the spring, and aspring-loaded feeler member senses an opening in a cassette wall whichdetermines the mode of operation and which is so coupled with the lockthat it eliminates the action of the latter upon penetration into theopening in the cassette wall, An operating member can be broughtmanually into two positions associated with the modes of operation andis coupled with the lock and the setting member in such a manner that inone position it eliminates the action of the lock, and upon beingbrought into the other position displaces the setting member inopposition to the spring acting on it. The operating member isinterlocked in an end position of displacement by the lock when there isno opening in the cassette wall, the operating member being returned bythe setting member when the interlocking thereof is eliminated byremoval of the cassette.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SHKU 1 UP 2 Fig-1 OPERATING MODE SWITCH FORDIFFERENT TYPE OF TAPES The present invention relates to a device for acassette tape machine for switching an operating-mode switch by asetting member which is displaceable against the action of a spring bythe movement of insertion of the cassette and can be locked in itsdisplaced position by a locking device. The effect of the locking deviceis dependent on the position of a feeler member which is pressed byspring force against a wall of the cassette and assumes a first positionor a second position depending on the presence or absence of an openingin the cassette wall.

A change in the mode of operation of the maching is necessary, forinstance, when the machine is to be operated with tapes of differentproperties. In order to facilitate such operations and avoidmisadjustments, the mode of operation is automatically set by theinsertion of the cassette into the machine in the manner indicatedabove.

Since, however, there are also cassettes which should have an openingidentifying their tape characteristics but actually do not have it(so-called old" cassettes), the apparatus must also be capable of beingswitched manually. In order to effect this, another switch for optionalsetting of manual or automatic switching can, for instance, be provided.However, this has the disadvantage that two operations are necessary,and further that the danger of erroneous operations is substantiallyincreased.

In order to avoid these disadvantages, it was possible to provide, forthe playback of the older cassettes, a manually operated auxiliarydevice which carries out the same switch function as the feeler leverwhen the motion of the latter is stopped prematurely because of theabsence of an opening in the wall of the cassette. The disadvantages ofsuch an arrangement are, that an erroneous switching could no longer becounteracted (except by means of an additional operating element) andthat it is difficult to make the switching processes understood by theoperator.

It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the adjustment ofthe mode of operation and to exclude as far as possible the possibilityof erroneous operation.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for acassette tape machine with an operating member which can be broughtmanually into two positions associated with the modes of operation inquestion arranged in such a manner that upon displacement in onedirection it also eliminates the action of the locking device, and thatby displacement in opposite direction it brings the setting member intothe position in which it is shifted against the action of the spring,and that it is then brought back by the setting member when the latterreturns into its initial position as a result of the absence of theinterlock.

This arrangement makes it possible, with only a single operating memberwhich can be brought into only two positions associated with the twomodes of operation, as is true of any ordinary switch, to make a manualsetting, regardless of a continuously acting automatic setting, whichconnection thereby permitting correction of erroneous settings at anytime. As compared with an automatic switching device furthermore, only asingle additional part is necessary.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the present invention, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevation of a tape machine with the correspondingswitching device, shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 2 is the same view in a different position of the switching elemenmof the device; and

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the interlock device, seen in the direction Aof FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows an insertion device 2 (seen only in part) arrangeddisplaceably on a base plate I in order to receive the tape cassette 3and introduce it into the machine. An operating-mode switch 4 isarranged in fixed position on the base plate 1. Its setting element 5 isdisplaceable against the action of a spring 6. A setting member 9 forthe actuating of the operating-mode switch 4 is displaceable on twofixed pins 7, 8 also against the action of a spring 10. The cover plateof the machine 1 1 has an opening 12 through which the handle 13 of anoperating member 14 protrudes. The operating member 14 is swingablearound a pin 15 and one of its arms 17 rests, under the action of aspring 16, against an abutment 18 on the setting member 9. The force ofapplication is not sufficient to overcome the action of the spring 10 ofthe setting member 9. A double-armed lever 20 is supported for rotationaround a pin 19. It rests, under the action of a spring 23, via adownward directed pin 21 (locking member), against a projection 22 ofthe setting member 9. Pin 21 and projection 22 form the locking device.

The manner of operation of the switch device is as follows:

If a tape cassette 3 is inserted by means of the insertion device 2 intothe machine in the direction indicated by the upwardly pointed arrow, anoblique surface 24 provided on the insertion device 2 slides along a pin25 fastened to the setting member 9 and thereby displaces the settingmember 9 and with it the setting element 5 of the operating-mode switch4 to the left in FIG. 1. The arm 17 of the operating member 14, whicharm rests against the abutment 18 of the setting member 9 under theforce of spring 16, follows along in the movement of the setting member9. In this connection a marking corresponding to the displaced positionof the operating-mode switch 4 becomes visible in the opening 12 in thecover plate 11. With the movement of the setting member 9, the pin 2](locking member) fastened to the double-armed lever 20 has furthermoreleft the second abutment edge 30 on the projection 22 of the settingmember 9, as a result of which the lever 20 turns in counter-clockwisedirection under the action of the spring 23. This movement is limited bythe second arm 26 of the lever 20 which bears a feeler member 27 at itsend, the amount of limitation differing, depending on whether there isan opening 35 in the wall 34 of the cassette or not. If a cassettewithout such an opening (standard cassette) has been inserted then thepin 21 will come to lie in front of the edge (first abutment edge) 28 ofthe projection 22. If the displacement of the setting member 9 nowterminates, since the oblique surface 24 of the insertion device 2 hasleft the pin 25, the setting member 9 cannot move back into its initialposition, since the edge 28 of its projection 22 comes to rest againstthe pin 21 which acts as locking pawl (see FIG. 2). If a cassette withan opening 35 (Cr0, cassette) has been inserted, then the pin 21 movescompletely past the first abutment edge 28, so

that the setting member 9 moves back into its initial position as soonas the oblique surface 24 has left the pin 25. On the last portion ofthe return path, the abutment 18 of the setting member 9, via the arm17, carries the operating member 14 and the double-armed lever 20 at itsprojection 29 back into the starting position which holds the feelermember 27 away from the cassette wall 34 (position Cr In order to makepossible this return, the double-armed lever 20 can swing around itsplane of swing or the pin 2] can be lifted and thus moved away by meansof an oblique slide surface 31 on the projection 22 beyond the abutmentedges 28 and 30 respectively (FIG. 3).

If a cassette which, like the standard cassette, has no opening, isinserted, but operation is to be effected in CrO position, it is merelynecessary to switch, by means of the handle 13, the operating member 14which is automatically set to standard position. With this switchingmovement, the arm 17 of the operating member 14 swings the double-armedlever 20 at its abutment 29 in clockwise direction until the pin 21which holds the setting member 9 against the abutment edge 28 instandard position leases the abutment edge 28, whereby the settingmember 9 slides back into the initial position, the Cr0 position, underthe action of the spring 10.

If this setting was effected by mistake, this mistake can be correctedby simply switching the operating member 14, since the arm 17 of theoperating member 14, upon being shifted into the standard" position,carries the setting member 9 along with it beyond its abutment 18 untilthe pin 2] slides down from the first abutment edge 30 of the projection22 and the feeler member 27 comes to rest against the wall 4 of thecassette and thus brings the pin 21 into its interlocked position infront of the second abutment edge 28, so that when the operating member14 is released, the setting member 9 is prevented from sliding back andin this way also the operating-mode switch 4 is again locked in itsprevious position. The operating member therefore permits any desiredmanual setting which, however, is corrected again by automatic settingupon each new insertion of a cassette, so that an erroneous settingcannot have any effect on a subsequent cassette.

While I have disclosed one embodiemtn of the present invention, it is tobe understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A tape machine for the playback of different types of magnetic tapesin cassettes and the operation of which requires a switching of the tapemachine corresponding to their nature, which switching is effected bymeans of an opening which is, or is not, present in a given wall of thecassette, comprising an operating-mode switch,

a setting member for actuating said operating-mode switch,

spring means for moving said setting member in one direction ofdisplacement,

an actuating device for actuating said setting member in opposition tosaid spring means, and actuated in each case with the movement involvedin a placing of a tape cassette on said machine,

locking means for holding said setting member fast when it is displacedin opposition to said spring means,

a spring-loaded feeler member for sensing an opening in a cassette wallwhich determines the mode of operation and which is so coupled with saidlocking means that it eliminates the action of the latter uponpenetration into said opening in said cassette wall, and

an operating member which can be brought manually into two positionsassociated with the modes of operation and which is coupled with saidlocking means and said setting member in such a manner that in oneposition it eliminates the action of said locking means, and upon beingbrought into the other position displaces said setting member inopposition to the spring means acting on it, said operating member beinginterlocked in an end position of displacement by said locking meanswhen there is no opening in said cassette wall, and said operatingmember being returned by said setting member when the interlockingthereof is eliminated by removal of the cassette.

2. The tape machine defined in claim 1, further comprising adouble-armed lever having a first an'n constituting said feeler member apin serving as an interlocking member and lying on a second arm of saiddouble-armed lever and disposed substantially perpendicular to a planeof movement of said double-armed lever and a direction of movement ofsaid setting member,

another spring means for pressing said double-armed lever with saidfeeler member in a direction towards said cassette wall,

said double-armed lever with said feeler member being capable of beingbrought by said operating member into a position withdrawn from saidcassette wall,

a projection arranged on said setting member having an abutment edgewhich is limited on both sides and which is arranged lying transverse tothe direc' tion of movement of said setting member in such manner thatwhen said settimg member is displaced against the action of the spring,said pin is located in f nt of said abutment edge in a position whichlocks said setting member when said feeler member is in a first positionresting against said cassette wall, said pin leaving said abuunent edgetowards a first side when said feeler member is in a second position inwhich it extends into an opening in said cassette wall, and said pinleaving said abutment edge towards said second side when said feelermember is in a third position which is withdrawn from said cassettewall.

3. The tape machine defined in claim 2, wherein said pin is supportedresiliently in a direction perpendicular to the plane of its swingmotion, and

an oblique slide surface is located near said first side of saidabutment edge and so arranged that said pin, upon return of said feelermember from said first position into said third position, can bebrought, by means of its support with resilience perpendicular to itsswinging motion, past said projection to said second side of saidabutment edge.

I III I I k

1. A tape machine for the playback of different types of magnetic tapesin cassettes and the operation of which requires a switching of the tapemachine corresponding to their nature, which switching is effected bymeans of an opening which is, or is not, present in a given wall of thecassette, comprising an operating-mode switch, a setting member foractuating said operating-mode switch, spring means for moving saidsetting member in one direction of displacement, an actuating device foractuating said setting member in opposition to said spring means, andactuated in eacH case with the movement involved in a placing of a tapecassette on said machine, locking means for holding said setting memberfast when it is displaced in opposition to said spring means, aspring-loaded feeler member for sensing an opening in a cassette wallwhich determines the mode of operation and which is so coupled with saidlocking means that it eliminates the action of the latter uponpenetration into said opening in said cassette wall, and an operatingmember which can be brought manually into two positions associated withthe modes of operation and which is coupled with said locking means andsaid setting member in such a manner that in one position it eliminatesthe action of said locking means, and upon being brought into the otherposition displaces said setting member in opposition to the spring meansacting on it, said operating member being interlocked in an end positionof displacement by said locking means when there is no opening in saidcassette wall, and said operating member being returned by said settingmember when the interlocking thereof is eliminated by removal of thecassette.
 2. The tape machine defined in claim 1, further comprising adouble-armed lever having a first arm constituting said feeler member apin serving as an interlocking member and lying on a second arm of saiddouble-armed lever and disposed substantially perpendicular to a planeof movement of said double-armed lever and a direction of movement ofsaid setting member, another spring means for pressing said double-armedlever with said feeler member in a direction towards said cassette wall,said double-armed lever with said feeler member being capable of beingbrought by said operating member into a position withdrawn from saidcassette wall, a projection arranged on said setting member having anabutment edge which is limited on both sides and which is arranged lyingtransverse to the direction of movement of said setting member in suchmanner that when said settimg member is displaced against the action ofthe spring, said pin is located in front of said abutment edge in aposition which locks said setting member when said feeler member is in afirst position resting against said cassette wall, said pin leaving saidabutment edge towards a first side when said feeler member is in asecond position in which it extends into an opening in said cassettewall, and said pin leaving said abutment edge towards said second sidewhen said feeler member is in a third position which is withdrawn fromsaid cassette wall.
 3. The tape machine defined in claim 2, wherein saidpin is supported resiliently in a direction perpendicular to the planeof its swing motion, and an oblique slide surface is located near saidfirst side of said abutment edge and so arranged that said pin, uponreturn of said feeler member from said first position into said thirdposition, can be brought, by means of its support with resilienceperpendicular to its swinging motion, past said projection to saidsecond side of said abutment edge.